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February 2014 U.S. Airline Traffic Data

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today that U.S. airlines carried 52.4 million systemwide (domestic + international) scheduled service passengers in February 2014, 0.1 percent fewer than in February 2013. The systemwide total was the result of a 0.5 percent decrease in the number of domestic passengers (45.5 million) and a 2.6 percent increase in international passengers (6.9 million) (Tables 1, 7, 13).

BTS reported that U.S. airlines carried 0.3 percent more total systemwide passengers during the first two months of 2014 (108.2 million) than during the same period in 2013 (Table 2). Domestically, U.S. airlines carried 93.4 million passengers, down 0.2 percent from 2013 (Table 8). Internationally, they carried 14.8 million passengers, up 3.5 percent from 2013 (Table 14). See Tables 2, 8 and 14 of Air Traffic Press Releases for previous-year data.

The February 2014 systemwide load factor (79.8 percent) and domestic load factor (82.1) were record highs for the month of February, topping the previous highs recorded in February 2013 while the international load factor (75.0) remained below the February 2013 level. Systemwide and domestic capacity measured by available seat-miles (ASMs) was reduced while revenue passenger-miles (RPMs) grew, resulting in higher load factors. International capacity rose faster than the growth in RPMs, reducing the load factor (Tables 1, 7, 13). Load factor is a measure of the use of aircraft capacity that compares RPMs as a proportion of ASMs.

The passenger total in February 2014 was the lowest since February 2011. RPMs reached the highest level since February 2008 while capacity measured in ASMs remained 10.1 percent below the 2008 peak for the month of February.

Additional traffic data can be found on the BTS Airlines and Airports page. Click on a link in the Quick Links box on the right. For additional U.S. carrier passenger and freight data since 1996, see Traffic on the BTS website.

Top Airlines

Monthly: In February, Southwest Airlines carried more systemwide passengers and more domestic passengers than any other U.S. airline (Tables 4, 10). United Airlines carried the most international passengers (Table 16). The top 10 U.S. airlines carried 80.9 percent of systemwide passengers, up from 80.4 percent carried by the U.S. airlines that were in the top 10 in February 2013.

Year-to-date: During the first two months of 2014, Delta carried more systemwide passengers than any other U.S. airline (Table 3). Southwest carried the most domestic passengers (Table 9) while United carried the most international passengers (Table 15). The top 10 U.S. airlines carried 81.0 percent of systemwide passengers, up from 80.5 percent carried by the U.S. airlines that were in the top 10 during the first two months of 2013.

Top Airports

Monthly: In February, more total systemwide passengers boarded planes at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International than at any other U.S. airport. More domestic passengers boarded planes at Atlanta than any other U.S. airport while more international passengers boarded U.S. carriers at Miami (Tables 6, 12, 18).

Year-to-date: During the first two months of 2014, more total systemwide passengers boarded planes at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International than at any other U.S. airport. More domestic passengers boarded planes at Atlanta than any other U.S. airport while more international passengers boarded U.S. carriers at Miami (Tables 5, 11, 17).

Reporting Notes
Data are compiled from monthly reports filed with BTS by commercial U.S. air carriers detailing operations, passenger traffic and freight traffic. This release includes data received by BTS from 79 carriers as of May 6 for U.S. carrier scheduled civilian operations.

Southwest and AirTran Airways are reporting as separate carriers with the exception of their financial reports. They have one FAA SOC (single operating certificate), requiring that they utilize the same safety/operating procedures, but they have separate DOT 401 economic certificates, meaning they remain operating as separate economic entities.

Traffic numbers are available on the BTS website at TranStats, the Intermodal Transportation Database, at http://transtats.bts.gov. Click on “Aviation.” For systemwide passengers, RPMs and ASMs by carrier through February, click on “Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data),” and then click on “Schedule T-1.” Use crosstabs to find scheduled service.

For domestic numbers through February and international numbers through November by origin as well as by carrier, click on “Aviation,” then click on “Air Carrier Statistics (Form 41 Traffic).” Click on “T-100 Market” for system passenger numbers, “T-100 Domestic Market” for domestic or “T-100 International Market” for international. For flights, stage length and trip length, use the appropriate T-100 Segment database. Use crosstabs to find scheduled service.

International totals in this press release consist of all U.S. carrier operations to and from the U.S. and from one foreign point to another foreign point. TranStats T-100 systemwide and international totals do not include U.S. carriers’ foreign point-to-point flights. For February, U.S. carriers reported 158,032 foreign point-to-point passengers. For January through February, U.S. carriers reported 340,050 foreign point-to-point passengers.

Data are subject to revision. BTS has scheduled June 12 for the release of March traffic data. None of the data are from samples so measures of statistical significance do not apply.

Table 1. Scheduled System (Domestic and International) Airline Travel on U.S. Airlines

Monthly

Year-to-Date

Feb 2013

Feb 2014

Change %

2013

2014

Change %

Passengers (in millions)

52.5

52.4

-0.1

107.8

108.2

0.3

Flights (in thousands)

671.7

637.9

-5.0

1,403.8

1,329.6

-5.3

Revenue Passenger Miles (in billions)

57.5

57.9

0.6

120.0

122.0

1.7

Available Seat-Miles (in billions)

72.6

72.5

-0.2

151.8

152.3

0.3

Load Factor*

79.2

79.8

0.7

79.0

80.1

1.1

Flight Stage Length**

760.6

784.6

3.2

761.0

788.5

3.6

Passenger Trip Length***

1,096.0

1,104.4

0.8

1,112.4

1,127.4

1.3

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Market and Segment

* Change in load factor points

** The average non-stop distance flown per departure in miles

*** The average distance flown per passenger in miles

Note: Percentage changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 2. Total System (Domestic and International) Scheduled Enplanements on U.S. Airlines